Church Dream Explanation — For Christians, says Al-Nabulsi, the church symbolizes knowledge, work, asceticism, and reverence to the extent of crying. But the church, he continues, also symbolizes worries, unhappiness, misery, lying, decadence, slander, heresy, and places where injustice and impure recreation reign supreme. It refers to brothels, gambling places, taverns, and everything that soils the individual. It could also represent a tyrant. Still according to Al-Nabulsi, the church might also allude to the abode of demons, like the garbage place and the bathroom; the grave, the house of the adulteress; the cabaret; the place where people wail; Hell; and jail. The stronger the edifice of the church and the higher the structure, the weaker the Muslims and their religion in that place.24 • A bachelor dreaming of entering a church: (1) Will marry. (2) Will have a child. (3) Will deviate from the right path, especially if he falls prostrate before the statues that are there, kisses them, takes parts in a sacrifice, or wears a waistband.

Magi - An Zoroastrian Dream Explanation — • A Magi dreaming that he has become a Jew or a Christian: (1) A relative change for the better. (2) Will indulge in atheism further and be lost even more. • Dreaming of being a Magian: The dreamer is sensual and running ex clusively after worldly matters because, writes Al-Nabulsi, the Magians are the dogs who own the wealth of this world.38

Jew Dream Explanation — • Dreaming that one is a Jew involved in a dispute means: (1) The dreamer will deny what he owes and lie. (2) The dreamer will mix and deal with Jews. (3) If the dreamer is a scholar, he will conceal whatever testimony or knowledge he could come out with, because the Jews, writes Al-Nabulsi, knew the truth and concealed it.35 (4) If the dreamer has debts, he will deny them and be unjust to his folk. For others:

Sword Dream Explanation — • A person in dispute seeing a sword already drawn in his hand: Justice will be on the dreamer’s side. • Finding a sword and picking it up: The dreamer is demanding justice and will obtain it. • Being handed a sword: A reference to a woman, as it looks very beautiful and has very nefarious effects, according to Al-Nabulsi referring to Luqman in the holy scriptures. • A sword set aside: A reference to a powerful man.

Saddle Dream Explanation — The saddle symbolizes influence, a beast that the dreamer rides, or a noble, beautiful and impressive woman. It could also refer to money. • Being on a saddle: The dreamer will triumph in all matters and under any circumstances. • Owning a saddle: The dreamer is married to, will marry, or will have sex with three women because, says Al-Nabulsi, he sits on a saddle like he does on the lower part of a woman’s belly and introduces his feet in two stirrups, as if they were two vaginas (1 + 2 = 3) .

Jesus Christ Dream Explanation — • Seeing the Holy Christ in a city or a mosque looking at the people there: Their hardships and difficult tests will be over because, says Al-Nabulsi, Jesus incarnates the spirit of God and His compassion.33 • Jesus appearing at a place: The place will be blessed, justice will prevail therein, the pagans will be destroyed, and the devout will triumph. • Seeing Jesus Christ accompanied by his mother: (1) Something very great or a miracle will occur at that spot. (2) Deep problems, calumnies, slander, pain, sorrow, and the shifting from one place to another.

Flying Dream Explanation — According to Al-Nabulsi, if the dreamer has too many aspirations and is a vain person, any dream involving flying is null and void. For others: • Dreaming repeatedly of flying: (1) The dreamer has many wishes. (2) The dreamer is frivolous and uncontrollable when angry. (3) The dreamer is happy. (4) The dreamer is superstitious and draws an evil omen from certain things. • Flying: Travelling. The best dream in this section is that in which the flying is in the direction of the Qiblah, the place toward which worshipers turn their faces when they pray. At first, it was Al-Aqsa Mosque in Al-Quds (Jerusalem), and now it is Mecca (Makkah).

Asylum Dream Explanation — The asylum, or mental institution, symbolizes frequent travel, asceticism, the heeding of God and reading of the Holy Quran, the stoppage of income, the end of wedlock, the abandoning of children, repentances, the return of religious faith, relief from worries, and sometimes diphtheria (the suffocation disease, to borrow the expression of Al-Nabulsi). It could also represent the bathroom, as madness was believed by the ancient Arabs to be associated with demons and because, like the bathroom, the mental institution is a place where people take off their clothes, show their private parts, and exhibit repulsive manners. For some interpreters, the madhouse refers to the school, because, there, the inpatients were educated by force, in ancient times, and taught to read and write and know the Quran.

Flesh Dream Explanation — Views on certain items of this chapter are widely divided and sometimes diametrically opposed. For instance, according to Al-Nabulsi: • Eating somebody’s flesh: Will speak ill of such a person in his absence. • Eating one’s own flesh: Will eat up gains. According to Ibn Siren, will eat away savings or whatever is hoarded. For Ibn Shaheen: • Eating human flesh: Financial gains in any case. If the person whose flesh is being eaten is known to the dreamer, the latter will take a bite at the victim’s purse or property. In case the dreamer is eating such flesh voraciously and with great appetite while blood is spilling imminent, unquestionable, and huge financial gains will be achieved.

Toilet Dream Explanation — According to Al-Nabulsi, in his alphabetical book of dreams the toilet represents the relief, welfare, and largesse of the household or, on the contrary, the hardships, poverty, and stinginess. It also alludes to the wife whom the dreamer takes aside to an isolated place in the house to make love to. Likewise, it symbolizes the one among the slave girls or servants who is in charge of the dreamer’s very intimate affairs, massage, and hygiene or the servant who guards the house. Other interpretations include the dreamer’s treasury, his coffer where he preserves his secrets, his shop where he keeps his money, or any secluded place. • Water overflowing from the toilet: (1) Wife will become pregnant. (2) The family will have surplus money. (3) Will have worries if the water had damaged any material in the house.

Dog Dream Explanation — According to Ibn Siren, dream interpreters disagree on what a dog represents in dreams. Some of them regard it as a slave or a servant, others as a despot, a terrible person, and a slanderer, if it barks. The black dog is an Arab. On the other hand, a dog could also mean a weak enemy with little chivalry, if any. The she-dog is a mean woman. If she bites, such a woman would harm the dreamer. If a dog tears the dreamer’s clothes, it would mean that a low man would backbite him. For Al-Nabulsi, the dog symbolizes a policeman of low rank, a gate-man, or a guardian, a niggardly person, a weak enemy, and a stupid, profligate, and aggressive man who never hesitates to commit foolish or criminal acts, especially if it barks; it would mean that he has an awful temper, that he is terrible.

Mouse Dream Explanation — The mouse symbolizes the dreamer’s household: those who dwell in his house—his wife and children, et cetera—a debauched woman, or, some say, a devilish Jewish woman or a Jew, as related by Al-Nabulsi. It could also refer to a thief. Many mice means profit and welfare. Mice of the same color allude to women. The rat is a digging thief. • Dreaming of a mouse playing in one’s house: Prosperity will increase because, according to the ancient Arabs, mice invade only those places that are prosperous. And only people who are not hungry can afford to play. • Seeing mice in one’s house: Dangerous women will enter that house. • A mouse leaving one’s house: Livelihood and blessings will decrease. • Owning a mouse: Will have a servant because, like servants, mice share the food of the master. • White and black mice coming and going: Long life, as the white indicate the days and the black the nights. To borrow the expressions of Ibn

Jesus Christ Dream Explanation — • Seeing Jesus: (1) Will be a blessed person and a great benefactor. (2) Will go a long way and travel long distances for the sake of Allah, moving from one country to another. (3) Will become ascetic and easy to content. (4) Will become a healer and know something about medicine, but if one dreams of Jesus often, he will become the unequalled healer or medical doctor of his time. (5) Will be immune from harm that year and will have nothing to fear anymore. (6) Will excel in whatever you try and no request you make will be turned down. (7) Will become prosperous and enjoy God’s blessings everywhere. (8) Something extraordinary will happen. (9) Justice and prosperity will prevail. (10) Doubts about religion and contradictions because, reports Al-Nabulsi,31 the Jews said they had crucified Jesus. God Almighty says in the Holy Quran: “And because of their saying: We slew the Messiah Jesus son of Mary, Allah’s messenger—They slew him not nor crucified, but it appeared unto them; and lo! those who disagree concerning it are in doubt thereof; they have no knowledge thereof save pursuit of a conjecture; they slew him not for certain.” (“Al-Nisa” [Women], verse 157.)